People worldwide offer condolences to Bali

People worldwide offer condolences to Bali

Words of condolences and sympathy have flooded The Jakarta
Post to be extended to the victims of the tragic Bali blasts.
Excerpts below are merely some that we would like to share to
demonstrate how the bombings have saddened people around the
globe as we believe it is caused not only by their love for Bali
but by their love of peace and reverence for humanity.

Zelda, Cardiff-Wales: I just wanted to say to the Balinese
community that the tragedy over the weekend will definitely not
stop me returning to Bali and that I hope the island will not
suffer a prolonged time of hardship after the bombings.
I wish I could do something to help ...

Latiffa Suleiman, Jakarta-Indonesia: It is unfair, because there
are 17,000 islands, and in 1998 Jakarta was struck and now Bali
has had its turn. If AlSantaClaus wants to put up a pyrotechnics
show, maybe it should be on some other island not those who have
already hosted one before.

Christopher C. Marks, Aliso Viejo, California-USA: The Indonesian
government's failure to, first, admit there is a growing
terrorist base within Indonesia and, secondly, to aggressively do
anything at all to remove this expanding threat will certainly
continue the decline in the much needed foreign currency influx
necessary to aid the failing economy.

I am personally appalled by the disdain for routing out these
animals who obviously offer no redeeming social value whatsoever.

I have canceled my upcoming Bali vacation and will take my
dollars to a more friendly climate -- anywhere where human rights
and dignity are appreciated beyond religious differences and
terrorist ideals!!

Indonesia -- wake up!!

Steve Frank, Cincinnati-USA: My deepest sympathies for Indonesia,
Bali, and those innocents whose only sin was to come and enjoy
your island paradise and world-famous Indonesian hospitality.

We, the free people of planet Earth, are in this battle
against global terrorism together. Whatever our respective
background, race, nationality, or religion, we can no longer
tolerate those who practice intolerance. We must stand for
civilized behavior and the rule of law through democratically
elected constitutional orders.

Those who would preach anarchy and destruction in the hope of
building a utopian paradise are as mad and murderous as Pol Pot
or Adolph Hitler. They must be opposed by all men of goodwill.

Petrus M. Sitohang, Tanjungpinang-Indonesia: Security has long
been cited by many as one of the negative factors that has
prevented investors from returning to Indonesia. This has
resulted in the prolonged economic crisis.

The bomb blasts in Bali last Saturday have proven this claim.
Indonesia's existence is now at stake. Now it is for our police
and military personnel to act and demonstrate their presence as
frontliners in safeguarding the nation's sovereignty and unity.

Made Bayu Krisnamurti, Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia: Words, are what
I can share. May these simple words can cheer up the Balinese who
are shocked by the horrible incident last Saturday. May God
always bless the victims and the families that have been left
behind.

BALI .... people say it is an island in paradise ...
An island of the gods ...
Where we believe that God will always protect us ...
In everything we do ...
Seems now we're living surrounded by evil ...
The devil that shook our island ...
The devil that wrecked our island ...
The devil that destroyed our beauty ...
Now, they feel that they have won ...
But ...
Evil won't ever win ...
Please don't cry Bali...
Keep your spirit alive ...
Never ever feel downhearted ....
We will win the fight against evil ...
May God bless the victims and the families that have been
left ...
May God bless us in everything that we do.

Stephen J. Boos, Philadelphia-United States: I do not even know
how to express my sorrow for the attack that happened in Bali. My
heart and prayers go out to all of Indonesia and to all of the
people that died and are injured.

To their families and to all that this has affected, I can
only pray that the ones responsible will be captured soon. I do
know how you must feel as I was deeply affected by what happened
here on Sept. 11, 2001.

I truly hope that my government will offer its assistance in
any way that might be needed, as I would if it were possible. I
will keep all of you in my prayers and I pray that something like
this will never happen again to your country or any other.

Please keep safe and also keep praying; the world can use all
the help it can get.

Adele Foster, Melbourne-Australia: What a tragedy this is, not
only in human life, but what it will ultimately cost the people
of Bali and Indonesia.

My sympathies go to the families of the victims, the Balinese
people who I understand are the friendliest of people and to my
own Australian people who have been greatly affected by this
heinous crime.

Lina Wijaya, Medan-Indonesia: The Indonesian government had been
dragging its feet in combating terrorism and now it has paid a
high price for it with the tragedy in Bali.
It's time for the government to get its act together. The
political elite should stop making this into a religious issue.
My condolences to the families of the victims of the Bali blasts.

A. Cipriani, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-USA: Our heartfelt
sympathies to the families of those killed and the victims of the
Bali terrorist attack.

Whoever can do this kind of thing is demented ... and there is
no excuse for it.

Patricia Green, Rockingham-West Australia: May I, through your
paper, convey to the people of Bali in particular and Indonesia
in general, our sincere sympathy in the wake of last night's
disaster.

I have an Indonesian daughter-in-law and members of her family
live in Kuta. They are distressed, telling me that all those
people in the nightclubs they considered as friends.

We have only recently returned from another Bali holiday and
find it unbelievable that our beautiful island has been
desecrated.

Joel Coward, Brisbane-Australia: The tragedy that has unfolded in
Bali is truly a sad day for Indonesia and all involved. I hope
that for the sake of the deceased, the survivors, the island of
Bali, the people of Bali and Indonesia that something positive
comes from such misery.

I hope that the people of Indonesia stand tall against what
will no doubt become an international finger-pointing and blaming
session.

I hope that sanity, care and rationality is used to answer the
many questions that this incident has raised.

I hope that better relations and cooperation can rise from the
ashes of Jl. Legian between Australia and Indonesia for a happier
future as neighbors and as friends.

Together we are combined, in the blood spilled from this
tragedy.

I hope that Indonesia is not bullied into America's campaign
against Iraq because of this incident.

Indonesia is a wonderful nation, rich and diverse, one I call
my second home to my own nation of Australia. My extensive time
spent in Indonesia, even in tragedy, has always been one of
friendliness, warmth and generosity.

Through darkness there is always light, I learned that in
Indonesia. My thoughts are with the archipelago. Good luck.

Thomas Belfield, Volcano-Hawaii: The recent terror bombings in
Kuta, Bali, have the potential to rock Indonesia from one end to
the other. This is a wake-up call written in blood.

Indonesia is a great country, its people kind and generous,
its land and oceans beautiful. It pains me no end to see the
country suffer so needlessly: Timor, Aceh, Maluku, Papua. For
what? Only a trail of needless tragedy.

Now, perhaps the recent events in Bali will move the
Indonesian people to reject the extreme and ignorant views of a
small and dangerous minority -- a minority intent on the very
destruction of Indonesia as a nation. Is this not clear now?

Indonesia can take advantage of this tragic event and rise to
be a leader among the nations of the world. Indonesians must
reject those behind the bombing in Bali in clear and certain
terms. There can be no other road to follow now.